A Return of the Wicked Earl

by Sadie Bosque

  “I know he meant well, but now that he is gone, surely you’re not still thinking of marrying Kensington?”

  “I have to,” Caroline answered emphatically

  “But why? You never—”

  Caroline raised her hand. “Please, Annalise, not now.”

  Annalise didn’t quite know what to say to that. She simply nodded. Perhaps Caroline needed some time to adjust to the idea that her uncle was gone. That, as much as she was devoted to him, she didn’t need to be now that he was gone. She could be true to herself. Thankfully, Annalise was spared the need to say anything at all. The butler appeared at the door.

  “His Grace, the Duke of Wolverstone,” he said loudly.

  Annalise expelled a breath of relief. The duke was a long-time friend of Caroline’s family. He was extremely close with the marquess, and Caroline regarded Wolverstone like family. He’d know what to do; he’d give Caroline peace of mind.

  Annalise dropped into a curtsy as the stately old duke entered the parlor. He gave a polite nod toward Annalise before walking resolutely to Caroline.

  He hugged her tight to his chest, and Caroline sagged against him. The fatherly show of affection and Caroline’s reaction to it brought a tear to Annalise’s eye. She was glad that her friend was not alone. Caroline was with someone she trusted, someone who had been there her entire life. Someone who loved her like a daughter. Annalise’s own father wouldn’t fit the descriptors above. Men in her life had a tendency to let her down. And this made the entire scene even more emotional.

  “Where is he?” the duke asked as Caroline disengaged from him.

  “His rooms,” Caroline answered and wiped at her tears.

  “I shall go see him then.” The duke’s voice was hoarse with emotion. “Lady Annalise.” The tears glistened in his eyes as he gave Annalise a nod. He slowly turned and left the room.

  “Do you need anything?” Annalise asked as the door closed behind the duke.

  Caroline just shook her head, her eyes glassy.

  “Did you want something?” she suddenly asked as she looked up at Annalise. “You started saying something before—before all that.” She waved a hand toward the door and looked at Annalise expectantly.

  Annalise chewed on the inside of her lip. Caroline wasn’t in the right mind to discuss her betrothal, and she, without a doubt, didn’t need Lavinia’s problems dumped on her. So Annalise pulled on a tight smile.

  “It’s not important,” she said. “Do you want me to stay?”

  “No.” Caroline shook her head and looked at the door. “I would rather be alone right now. But thank you for being here for me.”

  Annalise nodded. “Call for me if you need anything at all.”

  “I shall.”

  Annalise passed her friend and turned at the door. Caroline was still standing in one place, staring at the walls, her gaze empty. Lavinia’s tear-streaked face appeared before Annalise’s eyes once again.

  What a mess all this was. Both of her friends were hurting, and there was nothing she could do for either of them.

  Chapter 11

  Annalise came home later that day and went straight to her room. She was tired and felt wrung out. It was exhausting to have to watch her friends suffer. What would she say to Lavinia? How would their lives go on after this? Would it pull her friends even farther apart?

  She entered the room and stood against the door for a moment, gathering her strength. Annalise stepped farther into the room after a moment and saw a long object lying on her pillow. A case of some sort.

  She frowned as she came closer, took it into her hands, and opened it. Inside lay a beautiful and large ruby necklace. So large, in fact, that when she picked it up, she could feel its weight substantially pulling her hand down.

  Annalise placed the necklace back in its case and noticed that there was a note by its side.

  To my beautiful wife, it read.

  Annalise smiled softly, picked up the note, and placed it between the pages of her diary, where she kept all the other notes from him from when they were courting. Was she too easily swayed and naïve to feel this way about every little gesture of affection he’d shown her? She’d gone down that path before, and nothing good awaited her in the end.

  A light rap on the adjoining door startled her. She looked up to see Blake standing in the doorway. He was in his breeches and shirtsleeves, his collar open, as if he’d tugged on it repeatedly, his hair flowing about his shoulders. She had never seen him without a wig before his disappearance. Now, she liked the view of his thick, dark hair and wanted to run her hands through it.

  “How was your outing to Lady Caroline’s?” he asked.

  Annalise let out a sound somewhere between choked laughter and a snort. How did she answer a question like that? “It was… dreadful,” she said with a grimace.

  Blake’s brows furrowed over his eyes as he walked into the room with purposeful strides. He came up to Annalise and grabbed her by the arms, firm yet gentle. He caressed her exposed skin with his thumbs, just where the gloves ended, and before the sleeves started, his face marred with a slight frown.

  “What’s wrong?” His voice was so gentle that Annalise almost burst into tears.

  “Caroline’s uncle passed away today.”

  “Pardon?”

  Annalise looked away and bit her lip. “Yes, at the exact same moment I was there.”

  Blake let out a harsh curse. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly and slowly drew her closer to him. He enveloped her in a warm embrace and ran his hands up and down her back in soothing motions.

  Annalise tensed at the contact, but soon she let go of her defenses. With his warmth, his scent enveloping her, she truly could not resist his comfort. He wrapped his arms around her like a warm blanket. She leaned into him, burrowing her nose into his shirt, inhaling his scent. And everything was peaceful again. It felt right. She felt at home.

  The thought startled Annalise so much she wriggled away. Blake was not safe. He was not her haven. And she shouldn’t ever feel like he was.

  But just once, her traitorous heart whispered to her. Give in to his comfort.

  Blake let her go instantly. He didn’t even try to hold her longer, to keep her with him, and that was for the best. Because if he had, she would have given in. He walked to the servants’ bell instead.

  “I shall arrange for a warm bath to be prepared for you. You need to rest,” he said as he rang the bell.

  Annalise gave a distracted nod, her mind still dazed.

  Once the orders for the bath had been given, Blake came up to her and gently brushed a lock of her hair from her face. “Turn around,” he murmured.

  As Annalise turned, he started slowly undoing the tiny mother-of-pearl buttons at the back of her gown. His breath, hot on her neck, sent pleasant shivers down her spine and a strange flutter inside her stomach. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the memories of this day coming back to her and bringing back the unpleasant weight in her chest.

  “I can’t imagine how Caroline is feeling,” she said. “She tried to remain strong, but that’s how she is. She wouldn’t show her emotions in front of anybody. Even me.”

  “Does she have anyone with her?”

  “Her chaperone is living in the same house as her. But the Duke of Wolverstone also came right before I left. I imagine he was summoned. He was her uncle’s best friend and the closest person to a family she has left.”

  Blake grunted. “Well, at least she’s not alone.”

  Annalise swallowed. “I don’t know how to tell Lavinia. Marrying Caroline to Kensington was the Marquess of Roth’s last wish. Caroline is not going to back out of it now. And I am not going to dissuade her either.”

  “Perhaps the mourning will delay things, and she might still change her mind.”

  Annalise shrugged. “I don’t know. Two of my friends are hurting right now, and I am powerless to do anything.”

  Annalise’s bodice sagged as Blake finished with the
buttons. He slowly took it off and placed it on the chair beside the bed. He started diligently working on the ties of her corset.

  “We can’t help Lady Caroline with grief, but we can offer her support, perhaps even help with the funeral arrangements.”

  We. The word warmed Annalise’s heart. Ever since her wedding to Blake, she’d had to do everything alone. Redecorating the house, running the household, hosting dinners. He had never referred to them as a unit. She was by herself, and he was by himself. Perhaps he had changed. She wanted to believe that with all her heart. Especially now.

  “As for Lady Lavinia,” Blake continued as he stripped away the corset and started working on her overskirt. “I don’t know if you’re still in the mood for the theater, but I reserved a box for tomorrow. We can all go together. I already invited St. John and Townsend, so the company is going to be lively.”

  Annalise nodded absently. “I think the theater would be good to take our minds off things.”

  The door opened then, and maids came rushing in, the footmen behind them with the tub and buckets of steaming water. The maids arranged the area for the bath, preparing the towels while the bath was filled.

  By the time all preparations were over, Annalise was stripped down to her chemise and stockings.

  Blake turned to her and said, “I believe you can take care of the rest yourself.”

  “Or… you could stay,” Annalise said impulsively and bit her lip. “I mean, I could use your help getting into the tub.”

  The truth was, being comforted by Blake, being in his arms again was exactly what she needed. She didn’t want to be alone again with her gloomy thoughts. The tender care with which he helped her undress had pulled at the strings in her heart. She craved closeness with him. Perhaps it wasn’t the smartest thing to rely on him again, but she needed it now. It was all right to be weak at times, wasn’t it?

  Blake eyed the tall walls of the tub warily.

  “That’s not necessary. I apologize, I can ask Ruth to—”

  “No,” Blake replied instantly. “It’s no bother. I shall help you.”

  Annalise nodded. “I just need to take off my stockings.”

  She sat gingerly on the edge of the bed and hitched the skirt of her chemise up so she could reach the garter. Blake’s gaze burned on her skin like a fiery caress. Annalise raised her head, and he hastily looked away.

  Annalise’s cheeks burned as she finished stripping her stockings. She lowered her chemise and walked toward Blake. He instantly offered his arm and helped her step into the bathtub. The warm water felt so good on her tired muscles, enveloping her feet and calves. Blake glanced at her billowing chemise in the water, then raised a brow.

  “Are you going to take a bath in the chemise?”

  “No. I shall take it off as soon as you leave.”

  Blake made a couple of steps back. “What if I don’t leave?”

  Annalise’s eyes rounded. Was he teasing? She hadn’t thought this part through. She wanted him to stay, but she had never been completely naked around him. “I believe in that case I shall stand like this forever.”

  Blake let out a tiny laugh. “I’d like to see that.” He gave a crooked smile before walking up to her with a serious expression on his face. “Come. Who is going to help you wash?”

  “Ruth will.” Annalise’s heart beat an incessant staccato in her chest. The teasing, the banter. It all reminded her of the early courtship with Blake.

  He theatrically looked around. “I don’t see her anywhere. And the servants’ bell is a few feet away from the bath. If you want to call her, you will have to step out of the bath yourself. Besides, why bother her when you have a husband by your side? Come. Put me to work.”

  Annalise lowered her eyes. He wanted to help her wash? Did husbands even do such things?

  “I shall be your perfect maid, I promise,” he coaxed. Annalise narrowed her eyes on him, and he smiled. “I shall do anything you ask of me. Just for today.”

  “For the entire day?” Annalise grinned, liking the picture of Blake doing her every bidding.

  Blake nodded. “Use your power wisely, my lady.” He winked and stretched out his arm.

  She took it and slowly lowered herself into the bath, her chemise billowing in the water. She pushed it down, and Blake smirked.

  “You know you can take it off, right?”

  “I know. I just don’t want to.”

  “How are you going to clean all your… hidden parts?”

  “That is none of your concern,” she said with a haughty air, and Blake laughed.

  “Fair enough.” He took some soap and dipped it in the water.

  He soaped his hands, moved closer to her, and started gently soaping her neck and shoulders. His hands tenderly glided down her arms. He took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles, studying it as if mesmerized.

  “Blake?” Annalise raised a brow at him.

  “Your skin is so soft,” he said in wonder as if speaking to himself. “I missed the feel of your skin.”

  He smiled and winked at her before gently washing her wrist, her palm, between her fingers, tickling her skin and sending shivers up her arm. Goosebumps covered her skin, and his smile turned wolfish at the sight.

  “When I was”—he cleared his throat—“away, I used to imagine your touch, your smile, the sound of your voice. I thought I remembered it quite vividly. But nothing comes even close to the real thing.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh and turned to wash her other hand.

  Annalise studied her husband’s thoughtful features as he concentrated on washing her. “Will you tell me what happened to you?” she asked quietly.

  Blake shook his head before she even finished her question.

  “But you said you’d do anything I asked. So I am asking.”

  “Anything but that, love. I promise you it is nothing that would affect our relationship. You know the most important part.”

  “I know only that you were taken. Not why and how. I do not know what you’ve endured.”

  “I-It is painful for me to remember,” Blake said, his voice hoarse.

  “Please, let us not speak of the past.”

  Annalise furrowed her brow. How was he expecting to build the future without talking about the past? Without resolving their past issues? She opened her mouth to say just that, but Blake raised a staying hand.

  “Please? Let us concentrate on the present and the future. I don’t want the past to distract us from enjoying today. You’ve had a hard day as it is. Shouldn’t we at least try to have a worry-free afternoon?”

  Annalise pursed her lips. Perhaps an afternoon without worries, without the past hindering them, was exactly what they needed.

  What Annalise needed.

  She conceded, “All right. Just for today.”

  Blake grinned at her before shifting to the other side of the bath, across from her. “Lift your foot,” he said, all seriousness.

  “Pardon me?” Annalise clutched the chemise closer to her thighs in a valiant attempt at covering up.

  Blake just raised a brow. “You do know that the fabric of your chemise is very translucent in the water. I can see everything I could wish for and more.”

  Annalise gasped in outrage and covered her body with her hands.

  Blake laughed, then came back over to her and planted a kiss on her forehead. “It’s all right, my innocent wife. You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

  “Don’t I?” Annalise breathed, staring into Blake’s unfathomable, dark eyes.

  Blake brushed a lock of hair back from her forehead, still gazing into her eyes. “I don’t have to look at your naked form to be aroused by you. Simply being around you does that.” He swallowed. His eyes darted lower, then back to her eye level. “I want to see you naked. All of you. But if you don’t wish me to, I shall turn away.”

  Annalise’s heart pounded so loudly in her chest that she thought it was about to burst. Being naked around Blake would be too intimate. An
intimacy the level of which she had never experienced with him. With anybody. She wanted it more than anything. Perhaps today would be a perfect time because it would be on her terms.

  He’d said he would do anything she asked of him. He wouldn’t force himself on her, and he wouldn’t act in any way she didn’t wish. Perhaps now was the time to be a little daring.

  Annalise put her hands on her chemise and slowly tugged it up. It was a struggle taking it off in the water, but she finally discarded the wet cloth by the bath. Blake hadn’t moved, and Annalise expelled a breath of relief. She leaned forward, covering her most intimate parts.

  Annalise swallowed, her heartbeat still frantic, her thoughts in turmoil. “Do you mind scrubbing my back?” Her voice came out in a higher pitch than usual.

  Blake cleared his throat and moved slowly behind her. She couldn’t see his face or his reaction to her brazen nakedness. She was too afraid to turn. But she could feel the tension in the air.

  A moment later, his hot hands were on her as he carefully stroked her back with soap. The touch of his fingers on her skin left a burning sensation in their path. The glide of soapy water against her back made her sigh in pleasure.

  He lifted a lock of hair from her back and kneaded her neck, then splashed it with water and moved away. Is that it?

  Annalise raised her head to see him standing at the foot of the bath, his profile to her. His eyes were closed, his body tensed. He put his hand on his crotch and readjusted himself with a hiss. Annalise stared at him, wide-eyed. The crude gesture made her breathing frantic, and she felt heat pool low in her stomach. She shifted uncomfortably in the bath.

  She wasn’t a maiden; she knew that he was aroused. His shaft swelled, and he was ready to enter her core. Annalise swallowed. The thought should have been unpleasant. Nothing about the act was agreeable, but her body was reeling with excitement.